SugarCRM......

[Norman]

Evening all.....

Need some help and as usual I turn to you guys. I run a direct sales company generating leads from various sources including instore, telecan, mail order. I have bought a licence for SugarCRM but am now beginning to think its much more B2B based as its all about leads, opportunities and pipelines ect...which is not really what my business is about.
Anyone any experience of using SugarCRM to track leads, sales, jobs in the home improvement industry where its not about building pipelines but selling on the first or second visit...
Or indeed are there any better systems out there..

 

[Ashley_Price]

It sounds like you may have gone ahead and bought a licence without really understanding what a CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) is.

I've not used SugarCRM, but you will find they are all similar, after all it's about tracking everything you do with regards to customers, from the first contact to the close of the sale (and beyond if you have after sales service).

its all about leads, opportunities and pipelines ect...which is not really what my business is about.

As I've said this is precisely what CRM is all about, and it sounds as though it would fit your business perfectly, you just need to spend some time tailoring it. After all you generate leads, and you need to record where those leads came from and what happened to them, that's exactly what a CRM package can do for you. Once it's there it can save a lot of time and money, you can see where your getting most new leads from, etc., who is your best supplier and best customer and so on.

 

[Paul Kelly ICHYB]

Using a CRM properly is a process - the software is part of the process - it recors and assists in what you do.

Whilst they are fantastic systems, they may need a culture change to make them work effectively.

Without adding to your pains, did you know you could get a copy of Sugar for free (with very minor feature limitations)?

Getting a B2B client is not disimilar to B2C - find a lead, contact them and either sell to them or not!

BTW, are you saying that if a client says no after a couple visits you ignore them? You do not contact them every few months, with a letter, postcard or email?